Reverend James L Seals, 96, of Woodlawn, Illinois, passed away on August 17, 2024. He was born March 22, 1928, in Coahoma, Mississippi to the late Albert Henry Seals and Rosie Tillman Lewis-Croom.
Mr. James Seals was preceded in death by his wife, Audreye Jean Seals; son, James Seals, Jr.; and siblings, Percy Croom, Daisy Bell Taylor, Lena Mae Williams, Tommy Lee Croom, Wesley Croom.
He is survived by his sisters, Ms. Christine Snerling of Friars Point, Mississippi and Bertha Murphy of Rockford, Illinois.
Mr. Seals is survived by his children, Jimmy Monroe of Southfield Michigan, Stacy Whittaker of Chicago, Illinois, and Ivy Patrice Seals of Broadview, Illinois.
Mr. Seals has a daughter, Stacy Whitaker of Chicago, Illinois; her son is Jamyron Whitaker and his wife, Demitria and they have two children, Laila and Landen.
Mr. Seals has a daughter, Ivy Patrice Seals of Broadview, Illinois; her children, McKinley Brooks, McKaleb Brooks, McKaedon DuPree, AunaJoe’ DuPree, Patience DuPree, and McKayvion Sharp.
Mr. Seals has a host of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews including, Robin Watson, Darlene Bell, and Lee Ivory Croom/Executor.
Mr. Seals worked as a truck driver for Royal Piping Company in Melrose Park, Illinois for forty years as well as school systems in Mount Vernon. He had a love for cars and reconditioned a number of them as a hobby.
Mr. Seals was an associate pastor and a member of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church and will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
He was a great husband and father; a man of very few words, very kind, generous, loving, gentle, compassionate, extremely hard-working, quiet spirit, caring, and God Fearing Man who is truly missed already.
“To the greatest father, best dressed and smell good man on earth!! You were also the best role model to your grandson, Jamyron, to my siblings and to my neighborhood friends. You will reign in my heart forever.” – Your daughter, Stacy
“Thank you Granddad for being an example of a great man!” – Jay Whitaker
Eccl: 12:7: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”
Rom 14:7-8: “For none of us liveth to himself, and none dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”
Job 1:21: “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh, blessed be the name of the Lord.”
A Visitation will be held on Saturday, August 31, 2024, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, Illinois. A Funeral Service will begin at 10:00 am with Pastor Tim Goodwin officiating. Interment will follow at Mount Vernon Memorial Gardens in Woodlawn, Illinois.
